The present invention relates to an extraction tool for removing an electronic circuit component from a socket. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for removing electronic circuit component from a socket without damaging the electronic circuit component, the socket, or conductive traces on a printed circuit board coupled to the socket.
The present invention is designed to remove electronic circuit chips such as Pin Grid Array (PGA) devices from PGA sockets coupled to printed circuit boards. The present invention is designed to reduce the likelihood of bending or damaging leads on the chip during removal of the chip from the socket. In addition, the present invention is designed to remove the chip from the socket without damaging conductive traces on the surface of the printed circuit board.
One feature of the present invention is the provision of chip removal blades or legs which are biased to a normally open position. A slide collar is provided to lock the legs in engagement with the chip. Therefore, the legs are held in a closed position over the chip so that the chip will not slip out from the legs during removal or extraction of the chip. The length of the legs of the present invention is selected to permit the extraction apparatus to accommodate both large and small profile chips. Specifically, the length of the legs allows the legs to flex enough the accommodate large profile PGA devices which are typically 0.100 inch larger than small profile PGA devices. The legs also provide enough clearance to permit extraction of chips which include large heat sinks.
The extraction apparatus of the present invention uses the mechanical advantage of a screw assembly to generate the force required to extract the chip from the socket. The screw assembly moves a set of inner legs upwardly relative to a set of outer legs to extract the chip from a socket. Preferably, the apparatus applies the extraction force to all four sides of the chip to reduce the likelihood of damaging the chip.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for extracting an electronic chip. The apparatus includes an outer jaw assembly having a top plate and at least two outer legs coupled to the top plate defining an interior region therebetween. An inner jaw assembly is located in the interior region. The inner jaw assembly includes a bottom plate and at least two inner legs coupled to the bottom plate for engaging the chip. The apparatus also includes a collar slidably coupled to the outer and inner jaw assemblies. The collar is movable between a first position to permit the outer and inner legs to be inserted over the chip and a second position to lock the outer and inner legs in a predetermined engaging position relative to the chip. The apparatus further includes means for moving the inner jaw assembly relative to the outer jaw assembly when the collar is in its second position to extract the chip.
The moving means illustratively includes a threaded stem extending through the outer jaw assembly. The threaded stem is threadably coupled to the bottom plate to move the inner jaw assembly relative to the outer jaw assembly upon rotation of the threaded stem.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the outer and inner legs are situated at a predetermined angle relative to the top and bottom plates, respectively, so that the outer and inner legs are biased radially outwardly to a normally open position when the collar is in its first position. Each outer leg is situated adjacent to an inner leg to form an outer and inner leg pair. The collar includes a sliding surface adjacent each pair of outer and inner legs. The sliding surfaces force each pair of outer and inner legs radially inwardly to a closed position upon movement of the collar from its first position to its second position to lock the inner legs in engagement with the chip. Each of the outer and inner legs is formed to include an elongated slot therein for receiving a portion of a fastener therethrough to guide movement of the collar relative to the outer and inner legs. The fastener is movable in the elongated slots to permit movement of the collar from the first position to the second position.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, each inner leg is formed to include a radially inwardly projecting flange for engaging the chip to extract the chip from the socket as the inner leg assembly is moved by the moving means. Each outer leg is formed to include a radially inwardly projecting flange for engaging the socket. The flange of each inner leg is configured abut the flange of an adjacent outer leg. The abutting inner and outer flanges enter a gap between the chip and the socket as the collar moves from its first position to its second position to lock the inner legs in engagement with the chip.
Each outer leg is coupled to the top plate by a spacer block which permits limited movement of each outer leg relative to the top plate to maintain alignment between the flanges of the inner and outer legs. A compression spring is situated inside the interior region between the top and bottom plates to hold the inner legs in a predetermined position relative to the outer legs prior to movement of the inner jaw assembly by the moving means.
Additional objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as present perceived.